Olympia 2024: Alexander Zverev reaches last 16, Kerber reaches quarter-finals

After being eliminated in the mixed doubles with Laura Siegemund, tennis player Alexander Zverev won his singles match in the second round against Tomas Matschak 6:3, 7:5. The 2021 Olympic champion started in a dominant way, but then had to fight until the end. Angelique Kerber was also successful on Monday. The 36-year-old has already reached the quarterfinals.

In the heat of Paris, Zverev left no doubt early on about his role as the second-round favourite and confidently took the first set against Tomas Matschak. The 27-year-old from Hamburg impressed with a strong serve and return game, showing his strength particularly on long baseline drives.

Zverev has to fight back after strong start

The Olympic champion also started dominantly in the second set and quickly took a 2-0 lead. When everything seemed to be going by, Zverev suddenly had a break in the match for fourth place in the world rankings: the world number four was clearly having problems with the heat and looked physically weak.

Matak took advantage of the German's weak phase, and was able to catch up and lead until 5:4. But Zverev fought back and scored the first match point after 1:36. His next opponent in the round of 16 is the Australian Alexei Popyrin.

He has physical problems.

But for Davis Cup player Jan-Lennard Struff and Olympian Maximilian Marterer, the singles competition is over. The German Tennis Federation announced in Paris that Struff had missed his second-round match against Frenchman Corentin Moutet for health reasons. Struff will play in the doubles alongside Dominik Koepfer.

Marterer had no chance at 0:6, 1:6 in 63 minutes against Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime. Dominik Koepfer is the second German professional besides Zverev to be represented in the men's round of 16. The 30-year-old will challenge Serbia's record Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic.

Kerber beats Fernandez to reach quarterfinals

In the women's category, after the opening win over Naomi Osaka and the fighting success against Jacqueline Christian, Angelique Kerber also won in the round of 16 against Canadian Leylah Fernandez 6:4, 6:3. After announcing the end of her career, Kerber is giving her best tennis performance since maternity leave. The farewell tour of the former world number one and silver medalist at Rio 2016 is currently continuing, and she will meet in the quarter-finals the world number six Zheng Qinwen (China) who withdrew from the mixed competition after advancing.

“I enjoy every moment on and off the pitch here. The spectators and atmosphere are incredible.“Kerber said after the match.”“That's exactly why I came back, to feel those feelings. Now I'm in the quarter-finals and hopefully the journey goes a little bit further.”

Coco Gauff exits in the round of 16

Meanwhile, Coco Gauff, ranked second in the world, was surprisingly eliminated. The American flag bearer, who was part of the inner circle of medal contenders, lost in the round of 16 to Wimbledon semi-finalist Donna Vekic of Croatia 6:7 (7:9), 2:6.